I hear a lot about how it's easy to "eat around" the band and therefore defeat its purpose. But from where I sit, eating around the band sounds like more work than just not eating at all.

If understand it correctly (and please, let me know if I'm getting this wrong), when the band is properly restricted eating too much too fast leads to PAIN and DISCOMFORT. OK, so a milkshake might go down better than a burger or lasagna, but what if I don't WANT a milkshake? I'm not going to go make or buy one just because I know it's going to go down. I may be sad about the burger or lasagna I can no longer wolf down, but that's not necessarily going to make a liquid dessert sound good instead.

I do worry a little about the times when my stomach is growling and I know I have to eat slowly. I'll have to make sure those moments will be few and far between, by keeping my head about me and not getting too hungry. (I think my current habit of wolfing my food was born during pregnancy, when intense hunger pangs could spring up out of nowhere and HAD to be quieted at all costs. Eating too much has been a lifelong problem--eating too FAST is more recent.)

Someday my band and I will learn precisely when enough is enough, and the feeling of hunger will be easy to relieve with appropriate food eaten at appropriate speeds. In the meantime, I'll have to trust that I can find reasonable alternatives to milkshakes when I can't get that burger down.

Alexandra,

ALL of the surgeries have the potential to be outeaten. Using basic common sense usually nips most problems in the bud. Your plan sounds very sensible.

I'm like you--I never eat Desserts just because they're easy. Your perspective on portions will change dramatically as well and what used to seem like a small amount seems like a feast and is very satisfying.

Originally posted by CoffeeWench

Alexandra,

ALL of the surgeries have the potential to be outeaten. Using basic common sense usually nips most problems in the bud. Your plan sounds very sensible.

I'm like you--I never eat desserts just because they're easy. Your perspective on portions will change dramatically as well and what used to seem like a small amount seems like a feast and is very satisfying.

Robin, you have absolutely made my day. :D Really, thank you so much for saying this--it's exactly and precisely what I want from the band. There may be hope for me yet.

Robin,

You are my idol!!!! and you are so correct.!! I do not feel deprived at all. When you eat a smaller portion of anything and feel satisfied when you leave the table, thats the most important thing of all. I see so many pre banders (not that I'm an expert yet) who think that they will not be able to enjoy food any longer. There may be some things you will have difficulty eating, but generally speaking most food goes down easily with the exception of tough meats and sometimes bread. For me, sweets have never been a problem anyway. I got fat from partying too much in my 20's and a father who forced me to finish everything on my plate. THINK OF ALL THE POOR KIDS IN AFRICA WITH NO FOOD!!!! I come from a Puerto Rican/Italian background where food is the reason for existence!!! Occasionally, I miss Pasta and potatoes and my once a month Cannoli, but these are the things that got me fat, so I make a personal choice not to eat them. Of course, I have not had a fill yet and have little restriction, so most of my efforts have been based on willpower. I think is someone is desperate enough to suck down milkshakes daily, they will not be successful at any procedure. Therapy would probably be a good route.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I went on vacation. I chose to have an ice cream cone for lunch one day. It was really hot and we were out and about. Well, I am pretty restricted now. And the ice cream did not go down. I tried! And I even tried on another day! I had about 5 licks!

So the moral of this story, you can't always have ice cream with a proper fill! That doesn't mean that I can't be bad! My drug-of-choice right now are animal crackers! I have to stop!!